Strawberry Cake with Strawberry Frosting

Ingredients

2 cups sugar
1 (3 ounce) package strawberry flavored Jell-O®
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1 cup butter*
4 eggs, room temperature
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2 3/4 cups sifted cake flour**
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
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1 cup whole milk
1 tablespoon vanilla
1/2 cup strawberry puree made from frozen sweetened strawberries

Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour two 9 inch round cake pans.

- In a large bowl, cream together the butter, sugar and dry strawberry gelatin until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time, mixing well after each. Combine the flour and baking powder; stir into the batter alternately with the milk. Blend in vanilla and strawberry puree. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans.

- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a small knife inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow cakes to cool in their pans over a wire rack for at least 10 minutes, before tapping out to cool completely.

Ingredients
Strawberry Frosting
1 cup fresh strawberries
1 cup (2 sticks) softened butter
3 1/3 cups confectioners' sugar, divided
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions
- Place strawberries in a blender; puree until smooth.

- Transfer strawberry puree to a saucepan over medium heat; bring to a boil, stirring often, until puree is reduced by at least half, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and cool completely.

- Beat butter with an electric mixer in a bowl until light and fluffy.

- Beat 1 cup confectioners' sugar into butter until just blended.

- Beat 2 tablespoons strawberry puree and vanilla extract into butter mixture until just blended.

- Repeat with 1 cup confectioners' sugar, followed by 2 tablespoons strawberry puree two more times.

- Beat last 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar into mixture until just blended.
* Canola Oil make be substituted for butter.
** Cake Flour Substitute: [2 1/4 cups + 1/2 tbsp. regular flour] PLUS [1/4 cup + 1 1/2 tbsp. cornstarch]